Srinagar, Apr 25 –Kashmir University vice-chancellor, Prof Riyaz Punjabi, on Saturday called for a rigorous awareness campaign against the “stigma” attached with different diseases.
Speaking at the inaugural function of the “13th Basic Instructional Course In Colorectal Surgery” at the Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Prof Punjabi said, “Even today we find people hesitant to disclose their diseases before doctors and people. This is because there is still some stigma attached to different diseases. But I feel we need to remove it and aware people that diseases can be treated and prevented.”
The function was organised by the SKIMS’ department of General Surgery in association with the Association of the Colon and Rectal Surgeons of India.
Prof Punjabi, who was the chief guest, said there was need to raise the level of awareness among people that they need to come forward and seek advice of doctors for different ailments. “And I am happy to observe that the SKIMS is holding regular conferences and seminars and other awareness programmes in this regard,” he said.
The function was attended by senior officials of the ACRSI besides the SKIMS doctors and students.
The medical profession, Prof Punjabi said, demanded constant reappraisal, updated skills and use of modern technology to reach out to larger section of society. “People have psychological and emotional expectations from doctors,” he asserted, adding that he hoped the budding students must have turned to the profession as mission.
The SKIMS director, Dr Abdul Hameed Zargar, said gave an overview of the activities and achievements of the tertiary-care hospital in the past three years. “We have just started an awareness programme for people in different districts of the Valley to educate them how diseases can be cured and prevented,” he said, asserting that SKIMS was committed to provide quality healthcare.
Dr Zargar said he was amazed to see increase in colon and rectal cancer in the Valley, with several thousand people being diagnosed with the disease. “As an endocrinologist, I feel the change in the lifestyles of people have far wider implications on health of people,” he said.
Of late, Zargar said, many such cases have been diagnosed but only a few of them were treated. “There seems to be a social taboo attached with the disease,” he said. “This really makes us uncomfortable.”
Prof Imtiyaz Ali, dean, Medical Faculty at SKIMS, the course was being launched to build high training standards in the field of colorectal surgery.
Among others who spoke on the occasion included Prof N A Chowdhary, S KChavte (ACRSI), Dr M G Nariani (ACRSI), Dr R P Srivastava (ACRSI), Prof Khursheed Alam (SKIMS), and Prof Nissar Ahmad Chowdhary, who gave an overview of the course, which will be followed by a fellowship.